Andy Hazell is hoping to put three months of injury misery behind him when Gloucester face London Irish this weekend.

The flanker thought he would be spending two or three weeks on the sidelines when he hobbled off with a knee injury at Newcastle on November 2 – but is only just returning to full fitness.

Head coach Dean Ryan revealed this week how the 30-year-old is nearing a return to the side – and he could start against the Guinness Premiership leaders at Kingsholm on Saturday.

And Hazell is desperate to get back on the field and put one of the most frustrating spells of his career behind him.

"I am keeping my fingers crossed, because I have got used to setbacks during this injury, but hopefully I will be fit to play this weekend," he said.

"This injury has been so difficult, because at first I thought I would only be out for a couple of weeks – then it kept going on and on and on.

"Hopefully it is over now, though, and I can definitely see some light at the end of the tunnel." The specifics of Hazell's injury included bone bruising and a nerve problem, which restricted him largely to upper-body work during his absence.

But after stepping up his speed training in recent weeks, he is confident he will be ready to return to the cut-and-thrust of the Premiership this weekend.

"I have done some speed work now, and although the strength in the leg is not quite at 100 per cent, it is at a decent level," he said.

"I will keep working on that to get it back up to where it should be, while my upper-body strength has actually gone up quite a bit.

"If I am honest, the training I was able to do – particularly during the early part of the injury – was so boring. I just want to play now.

"I thought I would be out for two or three weeks, then it would be a case of "another two weeks.

"There was bone bruising and then a bit of a nerve problem, and whenever I tried to do anything it would seize up."

Hazell's fellow back-row men Gareth Delve (knee) and Peter Buxton (ankle) could also return this weekend as Ryan's forward options start to increase.

Akapusi Qera is also closing in on a comeback after missing the whole season so far – and Hazell is excited by the prospect of genuine competition for places.

"The boys who have been fit all season, people like Luke Narraway and Alasdair Strokosch, have played one hell of a lot of rugby," said Hazell.

"But now I am available again and Bucko and Delvey are also close. It will be all hands on deck again soon and that can only be good for the team."